How to Send Letters for Injured U.S. Soldiers
The U.S. military placed the number of soldiers wounded at the end 2009 at just over 30,000. This number was tallied from the start of the conflict in Iraq in 2003. Many more soldiers have been wounded in conflicts across the globe since then. Not every soldier has family and friends to lend support. Furthermore, many of them are going through the injury for the first time. You can offer your support, advice and empathy through a letter to an injured soldier. Doing so requires a little work, as letters marked "any injured soldier" or similar heading are no longer accepted by the military hospitals.
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Instructions
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Locate an organization that can deliver your letter to an anonymous soldier. Since 2001, the military has not accepted letters sent anonymously. You must have the individual soldier's information or the letter will be returned to you. Fortunately, organizations like Noanie and Adopt a Platoon are able to deliver the letter on your behalf. (See Resources for the military's suggested organizations.)
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Seek out any organization, such as AnySoldier.com, that provides you with specific soldiers who have signed up to receive letters from civilians like yourself. The site does not categorize the soldiers as injured or active, however.
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Follow the guidelines set by the organizations you select. They are required to follow strict rules handed down by the military to protect the soldiers from harm. Follow all rules specified on each site. Some organizations require you to address the letters to them, while others take only certain types of communication, like cards.
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Gather information about a known soldier. If you have a specific soldier in mind, you must have his name, rank and location (including platoon identification) on the address label. Here's an example from AnySoldier.com: Sgt. Johnny B. Rock/HHC, 123rd Grenade Repair Bn/APO AE 09999.
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